The Good Way
Charm: you have it, until you know it. It’s the same with humility. Better that others be pleased with us for having it than we draw their attention to it in ourselves. If it’s there, it will out as will God’s purpose in human affairs.
Take, for example, the reading for the fourth Sunday of last November: “It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be ruler over Israel” (2 Sam 5:2). Here we have God’s will for King David as ruler of his people Israel. He must act like a shepherd! Not the first model that springs to mind nowadays for civil power.
That same inscrutable intent is evident in today’s gospel reading (Jn 1: 29-34). God wants his Son to be like a lamb! How humble can you get? God really does things in strange ways. You want a ruler. You get a shepherd! Someone comes on a world-changing mission and he is to act like a lamb! Doesn’t make sense. But then it’s not supposed to, at least not by human reckoning. God uses the lowly to confound the great. He always has, and always will. The ball is in our court.
Fr. Tom Cahill.
New Vicar General
Bishop Séamus Freeman has appointed Monsignor Michael Ryan PP, Castlecomer as Vicar General of the Diocese of Ossory. Msgr. Ryan served as Vicar General under former Bishop Laurence Forristal.
A Vicar General (VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese.
Senior Citizens’ Party
Congratulations to all involved in last Monday party for our senior citizens. About 80 people enjoyed dinner and a wonderful evening’s entertainment at Springhill Court Hotel. Well done and thanks to the organisers, band, sponsors and all who attended.
Prayer for Christian Unity
The 100th annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began on Friday, 18th and continues until 25th January, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. The annual Week of Prayer has become one of the most symbolic and active signs of Christian unity among Christians around the world. The theme chosen for this year, taken from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, is "Pray Without Ceasing."
One hundred years ago, Father Paul Watson, Episcopal (Anglican) priest and co-founder of the Friars and Sisters of the Atonement at Graymoor (Garrison, USA), introduced a Prayer Octave for Christian Unity that was first celebrated from 18 to 25 January 1908. Soon after, Catholic and Protestant groups around the world took up this practice. In 1965, the tradition was formally endorsed and promoted by the leaders of the major Christian Churches when the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order and the Roman Catholic Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (now known as the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) began official joint preparation of materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
This weekend we welcome some guests from neighbouring Christian Churches to our parish. The Rev. Cecil Weekes will speak to the congregation at the 6.15 p.m. Mass at St. Fiacre’s Church and the Rev. Ian Coulter will address the congregation at our 7.00 p.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s Church on Saturday evening. Representing the local Church of Ireland community these men will share a few thoughts with us on this year’s theme and join us in prayer for the success of the week’s events.
Bishop Séamus Freeman will speak at St. Canice’s Cathedral on Sunday while Bishop Michael Burrows will address the congregation at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Members of our clergy will make similar visits to other Protestant churches in the city.
Questions People Ask
Q. Jesus was called the Lamb of God. Does this just refer to his innocence and gentleness or has it some deeper meaning?
A. John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Before the time of Jesus there were multiple sacrifices of animals to make atonement for sin. The perfect sacrifice of Jesus replaced all these sin offerings.
The lamb of sacrifice, standing over the altar, is at the centre of the apparition at Knock. For a beautiful book on this, read Reflecting at Knock by Fr. Tom Lane.
Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Pray for the Deceased
Recently Deceased: Sarah Kelly, Garden Villas; Michael Fitzpatrick, Goslingstown; Judy Carpenter, Fatima Place; Fr. Martin Farragher, Knocklyon, Lily Power, Johnstown.
Anniversaries: John Bradley (Sat 6.15), Paul Prodromou (Sat 7.00), Norah Foley (Sun 9.30), Kathleen O’Neill (Sun 10.00), Ann & John Waldron (Sun 10.30), Bobbi Leahy (Sun 11.00), Oliver Mannion (Sun 12.00), John Phelan (Tues 10.30), Albert & Bridget Downes (Thurs 10.30), Margaret & Michael Muldowney, Billy Burke, Michael McDonald, Jimmy O’Connell, Richard Brennan, Daniel (Algie) Lanigan, Frank Moran, Richard & Maureen Free, Margaret Knox, Mary Leahy, Maureen & Paddy Dwyer, Michael Gleeson, May McKenna, William, Tess & Joan Murphy, Denis Parsons,
Intentions for Next Weekend: Pauline English (Sat 6.15), Kathleen Hickey (Sat 7.00), Edward Taylor (Sun 9.30 Month’s Mind), Orla Roche (Sun 10.00), John Maher (Sun 11.00), Jack Comerford (Sun 12.00), Thomas Walton (Sun 12.30).
St. Vincent De Paul Collection
The monthly collection for this parish charity will be taken up at all Masses this weekend. Please support.
Fund Raising Bag Pack
The management of Supervalu Supermarket, Loughboy has kindly agreed to allow us have a fundraising bag-pack for our new parish centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7th, 8th and 9th February. To reap maximum benefit from this opportunity we need a lot of adult volunteers to help during shopping hours on these days. Please contact the Presbytery on 776 4400 if you can offer any time at all to avail of this excellent opportunity to help our parish raise essential funds for our development. The organising committee is meeting on this Monday evening and would appreciate offers of help as soon as possible. Many hands make light work — all help will be gratefully received.
Education in Faith Sunday
Next Sunday is Education in Faith Sunday. Education in Faith Sunday has been celebrated during the month of February since 2003. However, because Lent is early this year, it is being celebrated on Sunday, 27th January and the chosen theme is “Living Faith Fully”. More details on next Sunday.
Recently new Boards of Management have been put in place in our primary schools. The members of the new boards of our parish schools will be commissioned at a short service during 11 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s Church on next Sunday.
Do This in Memory...
The next event in the preparation programme for candidates for First Holy Communion and their families will take place on next Sunday. Candidates from Gaelscoil Osrai and KSP are asked to attend 10.30am Mass at St. Fiacre’s Church while those from St. Patrick's De La Salle Boys’ School and St. John of God Girls’ School are asked to attend 11am Mass at St. Patrick’s Church.
We look forward to celebrating with you on next Sunday.
Parish Website
Our parish website will be undergoing some changes over the coming weeks so watch out for the ‘new look’ Any suggestion or comments are welcome. We publish the newsletter every week on the parish website site. Also pictures of the building work at Loughboy in progress. Visit: www.patricksparish.com
Helping to Defeat Depression
Aware will hold a panel discussion on depression in Kilkenny next week.
Depression
More Questions than Answers?
The Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Ormonde Street on Wednesday, 23rd January at 8pm.
Panel: Sue Nunn, KCLR96fm (Chair); Dr. John Cuddihy G.P.; Two individuals speaking of their own experience of depression and Fran Gleeson, Aware. Admission is free, all are welcome.
Empower Training
Diploma in Life & Personal Coaching
Would you like to be a highly qualified coach in Ireland? Are you a person who sees no limits in people? Do people come to you to help? If you listen well, inspire others and like helping to change their lives, you could create life fulfilling and lucrative work for yourself!
Call Empower Training on 775 6736
“God Bless You”
According to the ancient author Pliny (ca. A.D. 77), the custom of saluting someone who sneezes was well-established by the time of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor during the earthly life of Jesus. However, the particular formula, ‘God bless you’ (or Gesundheit in German) may have begun during the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great (A.D. 600) in response to a plague sweeping Rome, the initial symptom of which was a sneeze. A similar explanation has been given for covering one’s mouth when one yawns, which initially began as the sign of the cross over one’s mouth.
Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?; Michael P. Foley
Some Ecumenical Humour
A rabbi and minister decided to invite the new Catholic PP on a fishing trip. While out on the lake, the rabbi announced ‘We forgot the bait, I’ll go get it’. He jumped out of the boat, walked across the water to the shore, collected the bait and walked back. The PP was amazed. An hour later they started to get hungry. The minister volunteered to go get some food. He jumped out of the boat, walked across the water, collected the food and walked back again. The PP was astounded. A little later they ran out of drinking water. The PP announced that he would go get some. The PP jumped out of the boat... and sank straight to the bottom. Upon surfacing he heard the rabbi say to the minister, ‘I suppose we should have shown him where the stepping stones are.’
First Holy Communion Dates
10th May: St. Patrick’s de la Salle at 11am at St. Patrick’s Church.
17th May: St. John of God at 11am at St. Patrick’s Church.
17th May: Gaelscoil Osraí at 10.30am at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
18th May: KSP at 12 noon at St. Fiacre’s Church.
